HetaOni
by MyNameTheWind
Summary: A written adaptation of the popular HetaOni videos.
1. Chapter 1

_Get out, have to get out-there! The door!_ Hands reaching, fumbling, turning-locked! _No, it can't be locked, no! Open!_ Try again, maybe a miracle will happen-but the clicking continues, the door won't budge, it's coming closer, it's almost here, maybe running will save…._no! It's too close! The door must open!_

It opened to let people in, so why not out? Why not? The handle won't turn…._turn damn it! Turn! It's right behind me! It's right-  
_

* * *

Rumor spoke of a deserted house, roughly three hours away from where the nations met. The nations had never given much thought to it; it was situated high up in the mountains, rumored to be haunted and abandoned, the original owners long forgotten. Besides, they had wars and trading agreements and such to sort out amongst themselves. As far as any of the nations knew it could very well be nothing but rumor-but that didn't stop them from exploring, not once they had heard the rumors.

"It's really here!" Feliciano shouted, running up to gaze upon the building. It was a large, rambling thing, at least three stories tall and looking more like a church than a house with its white walls and golden roof. Feliciano smiled and laughed at it, ecstatic that it existed. Even the marks of age on the building could not shake his happiness at finding that it was real.

"I never thought we'd actually find it, I believed it to be just a rumor," Kiku murmured, looking at the building. It was beautiful in an old, forgotten way, with peeling paint and a courtyard full of weeds instead of stones. The trees that framed it seemed to lean away from it, as if they couldn't take the expansion of humans into the heart of their forest. It made the rumors of a haunting seem almost possible, the way even the forest seemed afraid of the house.

"Such a desolate place," murmured Gilbert, smiling as he looked at the building. "Not bad. Not bad at all." The Prussian seemed excited at the thought of the haunted house, seeing it as a challenge that needed to be won-and one that was quite famous, if even the nations had heard of it. Kiku smiled slightly at him, dark eyes emotionless, and Ludwig sighed in annoyance.

"Not very interesting, though," he commented dryly. The German had only agreed to the three-hour hike up the mountain because both Kiku and Feliciano had said they wanted to go-and now that they were here, all he wanted was to turn back. The house was interesting enough, but not so much so that he wanted to waste the whole day exploring the old thing.

"No, not very interesting," Kiku agreed, moving so that he was standing on one of the few stones not covered by weeds in the courtyard. "Maybe we can just look at it from the outside and then return to the conference building?" His tone was hopeful; he too had no want to go crawling around in an old building, not if there was the slightest chance any of those rumors were true-

"But we went through all that trouble to find it!" Feliciano said, turning pleading eyes upon his two allies. "It would be such a waste not to go inside! Can we please? Just for a little while?"

The other nations paused, considering-while none of them, besides perhaps Gilbert, wanted to go explore the house, the Italian had a way of persuading people. It was with a heavy sigh that Ludwig spoke.

"Just for a little would be fine, I believe."

The inside of the house didn't seem as run-down as the outside did. The floor was made up of a light-colored wood that seemed to glow with summer warmth beneath their feet. The walls were as white-possibly whiter-than the walls outside. The foyer split into three hallways; one going right, one going left, and one going straight back that was flanked by an impressive staircase polished from years of use.

Windows streaming light lined the corridor, though they were placed high up near the ceiling so that the nations could not see out of them. Looking around, the rumors that it was haunted seemed silly, at least to Kiku. Haunted houses were usually darker.

The nations looked around, different emotions on their faces. While Feliciano was grinning happily, taking everything in and exclaiming over the beauty of the old house, Gilbert and Ludwig looked around warily, as if expecting it to be a trap. Kiku smiled to himself as he examined the building.

"It's much cleaner than I thought it would be!" exclaimed Feliciano, running a hand down the paint on the wall. Kiku nodded his agreement-the place seemed well cared for, with barely any dust to mar the simple beauty it held.

"Can we leave now? I am sure the others are wondering where we went," Ludwig said, a bit nervously. Kiku looked at him, bemused at the bigger man's discomfort, while Gilbert laughed at him.

"What's the matter, West? You scared of the house?" he asked, violet eyes gleaming with mischief. Ludwig looked even more uncomfortable at his brother's questions.

"We really should leave now," the younger German said, quietly but with a tone of authority and, Kiku noted, a hint of panic.

"It's not as if there are any ghosts," Kiku said, hoping to reassure Ludwig. "We mustn't forget common sense just because of some rumors. After all-"

_CRASH!_

The entire group jumped and turned to look down the hallway where the noise had come from. Feliciano leapt away from the wall he was near and went to stand near Ludwig, eyes wide with surprise and fear. Gilbert's cocky grin disappeared, Ludwig looked even more anxious, and even Kiku felt his heart beating faster. After a few seconds of silence, Kiku let out a sigh and moved down the right-hand corridor, towards where the sound had come from.

"Careful, Japan!" warned Gilbert, not sounding quite so confident. Kiku tilted his head in the albino's direction to show that he had heard.

"Don't worry; I just want to see what happened. I'll be right back," he reassured the Prussian and, well, the rest of the group too. _Breaking things mean people_, he told himself, and he went off down the hallway, his light steps the only sound that could be heard, the others watching him go with baited breath.

Down the hallway on the left was a large, dark door; he turned the handle curiously to find it locked. One of his hands grasped the handle of his katana, a brief thought of simply cutting the lock flitting through his mind before he dismissed it. If, indeed, there were people here, than cutting through doors would be a rather rude thing to do. Not to mention walking into their house unannounced, but it was a bit late to correct that.

There was another door at the end of the hall, and when Kiku tried the handle he found that it opened. He glanced back towards the other nations, only now noticing how long the corridor was-they were out of earshot and, although he could see them, did not seem as if they would be able to arrive quickly if he needed help. Shrugging slightly, he turned and walked through the doorway, right into-

-a living room. The floor was darker here and made in such a way that it reminded Kiku of his traditional house. To the right of the Asian was a small entertainment area, with a couch, loveseat, and rug all in white, and a flat screen TV on top of a small table. Kiku ran his hand along the back of a loveseat-it was made of incredibly soft leather, he noted. Not wanting to get the pristine white rug dirty with his muddy boots, he turned to the left side of the room.

Another door was set in the left corner, in dark contrast to the light green wallpaper that was on the walls. Kiku strode over to it, past a low table surrounded by cushions, and tried the handle only to find that this door was locked as well. Sighing in annoyance, he turned to look at the kitchen that took up the rest of the room.

The counter was made of white marble, and held a sink, an oven, and a stove. On the wall was shelves stocked with different ingredients, though a quick glance showed that many seemed to be expired, completely useless, or in some cases, mythical, if the box labeled "Unicorn Horns" was to be believed. The refrigerator was no better, containing only some old milk and vegetables.

It was the plate on the floor next to the counter that drew the Asian's attention. He knelt down and reached a hand out to run a finger along one smooth edge before reminding himself that he had to be careful-porcelain such as this plate was made of was usually very sharp when broken. But it meant that whoever-or, Kiku told himself,-_what_ever had broken the plate only a few moments ago had not been eating. The plate was as pristine as if it had just been taken out of the box. It made Kiku worry-even his porcelain dishware, set away and only used at the most important of dinners, showed signs of wear and age. It seemed impossible that this dish looked the way it did.

Standing up, he glanced around warily for a few seconds before walking calmly out of the room. He didn't want to leave the others for too long, both for his sake and theirs.

He couldn't see them when he left the room, but he assumed they had just moved to sit on the stairs or some such thing. It was only as he drew level with the stairs that he realized, with a sinking feeling of dread, that the other three men were not where he had left them. _Did they leave after all?_ He wondered, briefly, before dismissing the notion-two of them were his allies, and even though he and Gilbert had never talked much, Kiku doubted that the Prussian would leave.

Then where had they gone?

"How regrettable," he murmured, looking around. Deciding to go outside-they were probably waiting in the overgrown courtyard-only to find that the door to leave was locked. Kiku stared down at the handle, confused as to why it was now locked. Surely he would have heard someone if they had told the others to leave?

_**It opened to let others in, why not out?**_

Kiku turned around sharply, eyes wide and heart racing, suddenly sure that there had been someone behind him, whispering to him in a panicked voice, trying to reach the door, to escape. But there was no one there, nothing but the sunlight and the mysterious house he was now, it seemed, trapped in.

After a few seconds to calm down and think, Kiku decided that exploring the rest of the house was the most obvious and logical choice-if the door out was locked, than the others were still inside, somewhere in this old and forgotten building. With that in mind he set off into the house, this time moving straight back, past the staircase.

The corridor took a sharp turn to the left a small ways after the staircase, and Kiku relaxed at the sight of a pair of traditional Japanese rooms. He entered one, careful of the paper walls, and let out a breath he had been unaware he had been holding as he took in the familiar surroundings.

He carefully examined the two rooms, making sure to be respectful of the obvious care that had gone into decorating and maintaining them. The tatami mats covering the floors of the rooms seemed nearly new and were carefully laid down so that every inch was covered; the wardrobes in the back of one room held carefully pressed clothing that smelled of lavender and mothballs. The other room had several shelves and drawers and a plaque of Japanese calligraphy, though nothing else of importance. Kiku turned to return down the hallway to the foyer when another door caught his eye. Set in the same wall as the stairs, it had somehow missed his notice the first time around.

It was, as he had come to expect, locked. Not all that disappointed this time around, Kiku headed back to the foyer, glancing up the stairs as he passed them. _Nothing up there but darkness,_ he thought, noting the shadows that gathered at the top of the steps.

This time he turned down the last corridor he had not already explored, the one heading to the left wing of the house. As he walked he glanced around himself in an almost nervous way, losing a bit of his calm confidence the Japanese rooms had given him as he went, his footfalls the only sound in the entire building. It seemed as if everything was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen, waiting for something to happen to _him._

He passed another doorway; another three-second check told him that it too was locked. This time he was frustrated-how was he to find the others if all the doors were locked? Frowning slightly, he turned the corner staring at the floor.

_Something is there…_

He jerked his head up and stopped short as he caught sight of something moving. Something with dark skin, and tall, taller than anything had the right to be while it still walked on two legs…

_Click._

No, there was nothing there-gone, now, was whatever he had just seen, gone with the sound of a door locking. Kiku let out a shaky breath, eyes wide as he stared down the length of the hallway. After a moment he shook his head as if shaking away bad thoughts and started down the hallway again, though much slower this time.

"What…what was that just now?" he asked himself, his English heavily accented in his distress. Had he truly seen that…thing? Or was this place playing tricks on him, his mind warping the world because of some rumors and the pressure of being left alone?

"I'm just tired, that's all," Kiku murmured in a vain attempt to reassure himself. In this empty, sun-warmed house, the words rang false, something that the Asian nation did not fail to notice. It set him even more on edge, his fingers flicking in nervous imitations of swordsmen's stretches. He advanced upon the door at the end of the corridor, the first door he had seen that held panels of frosted glass in the dark wood. Cautiously he placed his hand upon the handle and tried it, to his enormous relief it was locked. Had it been open he would have had to enter the room, and if he hadn't been seeing things, than there was something in there he'd rather not meet, not right now.

His heart calming, he turned to the right to the other door. This one did not fill him with such a sense of horror-it was the same dark door as the other ones he had encountered in the house. To his surprise, it was unlocked, and he warily stepped through to find himself in a bathroom.

The bathroom floor was made of white and pink tiles, the walls painted the same white as the hallway. Divided into two parts, the first part held a sink and a rack full of towels and soap, the second part held the toilet. Kiku saw no bathtubs, showers, or showerheads; he assumed this must be the guest bathroom.

Giving the room a last glance, Kiku left and returned to the foyer. The bathroom seemed like nothing important, unless one needed a bathroom. Now, he realized, he had explored everywhere on the first floor. His gaze was drawn to the stairs, dark eyes falling upon the darkness that swallowed the top steps. _I have to go up there. _Taking a slight breath, he started to ascend, fingers shaking as he gripped the worn railing.

For a few seconds the shadows were all around him, and then he was through, on to the second floor. It was much like the first, with high windows letting in the summer sun and golden wood floors gleaming against the bright white walls. Kiku took a few moments to look around. A single hallway stretched to both wings of the house in the back, while another hallway led to the front of the house. A pair of doors, identical to the ones downstairs, were set in the hallway in front of him. Hesitating, he turned to the door to the right, and was mildly surprised to find it unlocked.

It opened in to a bedroom. In the corner near the door was a single bed, simply done up in white sheets and a single pillow. A cream-colored rug covered a large part of the wood floor, Kiku carefully stepped around it so as not to get it dirty. A desk stood in one corner, though on inspection from the Japanese it showed that there was nothing in the desk. The bookshelf standing next to the desk held schoolbooks-a set of the Encyclopedia Britannica, several textbooks, a copy of _The Art of War_ by Sun Tzu.

Setting a physics textbook back on the shelf, Kiku turned his attention to the drawers next to the bookshelf. Whoever had inhabited this room had a liking for flannel sweatshirts and dark pants, the entire set of drawers seemed to contain nothing but those clothes.

Next to the drawers, in the corner, was a door. It seemed to be made out of fabric in much the way that a paper door was made, though Kiku noted that the fabric was loose and pulling, it was obviously too thick to stay attached to the frame. Pulling gently on it, he found that it wouldn't budge. _Odd_, he decided. Shrugging, he tried the door again, this time pushing, but still nothing happened.

_It may just be for decoration_, he mused, leaving the bedroom. He walked to the other end of the hall, where there were two doors, one of which he had missed during his first glances. He tried one, but it was locked. He sighed and turned across the hallway to try the other door. This one was unlocked, and he warily entered the room to find another bedroom, this one much larger than the last. A nearly identical bed sat in the same corner as the last room. There was something laying on the covers, though, and with his curiosity rising the Asian strode over to see what it was.

"This is….Germany's whip?" he murmured, brow furrowed in confusion. "What is it doing in a place like this?" The discovery of the German's personal, and rather worn, weapon disturbed the man. Especially since there was no other sign of Ludwig or anyone else having been in this room in days. Looking around nervously, he tied the whip to his belt. _I will return it when I see Germany again, _he promised himself.

The rest of the large bedroom seemed uninteresting compared to that. Another bookshelf, with much of the same books on it, another set of drawers. And taking up half the room, another cream-colored rug, this time with a white leather loveseat and a flat screen TV. Kiku glanced around the room but decided that there was nothing else worth looking in to.

Fidgeting nervously, Kiku walked as quietly as he could to the front of the house. Another dark door, once again locked. Passing the staircase and noting that it went up another level, there was another pair of doors. The first one he tried was unlocked.

Another bedroom. The same exact bed, the same books on a bigger bookshelf. Kiku was starting to get rather worried by this place-it seemed that each room he went in to on this floor was only slightly different, though different enough to make the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and his heart beat faster.

He gave the room a quick once-over, avoiding the TV and loveseat, which had been joined by a dark wooden coffee table in this room. The drawers and wardrobe against one wall held nothing but mothballs and a few satchels of lavender-scented fabric.

Sighing shakily in nervous frustration, he left the room and tried the door directly across the hall. It was locked. _For every open door a closed one_, he thought, smiling in a sarcastic way. On a whim, he headed back to the smallest bedroom, the first one he had gone into. He felt drawn to the fabric-covered door, and he ran his hands carefully over the heavy fabric, wondering how he could open the door.

_Click._

The door opened-and out fell Ludwig, face pale and eyes wide.

"Germany!" Kiku exclaimed, relieved to have found one of his companions. But the bigger man did not reply, did nothing but shake in terror. Kiku, growing frightened and concerned in equal measures, helped Ludwig into a sitting position against the wall.

"Germany, where are the others?" he asked, softly, as if lowering his voice would snap the German out of whatever terrible thing he was experiencing. Ludwig did not respond, did nothing but sit where Kiku had moved him, his whole body trembling, his eyes unfocused and staring at something that was not there. Kiku watched him shaking; his dark eyes full of concern tainted with the fear that whatever had happened to the blonde man would happen to him. Standing, Kiku pressed a hand to Ludwig's shoulder in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture.

"You look…shaken," he told his ally. "I'll go get you something to drink. Stay here." Kiku moved away, glancing back over his shoulder once. Behind Ludwig the door loomed, opening into blackness that seemed to draw the eye. Kiku paused and wondered if he should close the door-but helping Ludwig seemed more important, and the others may be in there. The light from the room may help the others find their way out, Kiku rationalized. He didn't want to admit it, not even to himself, but after the sunny hallways and rooms, the darkness beckoning from behind the doorframe scared him, scared him more than an enemy army on the battlefield.

_There are no rules here_, Kiku thought, leaving the room. _Nothing except the need to escape._

With that, he went back down the stairs to search for a working tap.

The kitchen was an obvious place to look. Moving quicker and quieter than he had the first time, he walked past the white entertainment area and the table and into the kitchen. A few moments spent looking in the cabinets revealed some glasses, he took one that wasn't too ornately decorated and turned to the sink. He fiddled with the tap for several minutes, desperately hoping that they would work. But not a single drop of water came out of the faucet, no matter how he tugged and turned the knobs.

_I'll just have to look somewhere else_, he told himself after trying desperately to get water to come. With a rush of insight he remembered the bathroom-maybe the sink there was working? He took off down the hallway, walking fast and hoping he wouldn't have to take water from the toilet bowl, though if the tap didn't work, he just might have too…

He reached the bathroom and quickly started trying the tap. To his relief water came out of the faucet, he quickly filled his cup.

"Thank god," he breathed, turning the faucet off. "At least this isn't broken."

He raised the glass to his lips, deciding that he should drink a glass of water too-hopefully it would help calm his fraying nerves. But something made him pause. The way the water looked, clear and pristine, and how it smelled, like old, musty grass and animal fur, did not match up. He lowered the glass, suddenly not wanting anything to do with the water, and poured it back down the drain.

_Ah, but Germany needs water_, he reminded himself. He refilled the glass, resisted the urge to smell the water, and left. Maybe it had just been because the faucet hadn't been used in a while that the water had smelled like that. He quickly returned to the small bedroom where he had left Ludwig, careful not to spill the water on the way.

Ludwig was right where Kiku had left him, still trembling against the white wall and staring off into space. Kiku sighed, worried to see his strong ally in such a state. Ludwig always exuded a calm confidence that made it hard for other countries to challenge him. Kiku walked over to the German and held out the glass of water.

"Germany, I brought you some water. Drink it and try to calm down," Kiku said in a soft voice that brooked no arguments. To his immense relief Ludwig took the glass and started to drink the water, gulping it down as if he had just spent days marching in the desert.

_No, stop!_

For a second Kiku wanted to take the water back, stop the other man from drinking it-it was all wrong, it smelled wrong it wasn't water-

_No, it's just water, it's okay._

Besides, it was too late-the German had already drained the glass. Kiku watched in relief as the bigger man stopped shaking and calmed down, his eyes focusing on the here and now instead of in the then and there. After a few minutes Ludwig stood up, only the slightest tremor in his fingers betraying how bad he had been just a short while ago.

"Was that really water?" Ludwig murmured, wrinkling his nose in distaste.

"Judging by the color…probably," replied Kiku. Ludwig tilted his head at the smaller man, not quite sure if he was joking or not.

"I see," he finally replied, deciding to let it go. "I'm sorry for falling apart like that, Japan. I feel much better now, thank you."

"That's good to hear," Kiku replied smiling faintly. "Do you know where the others are, Germany?" Ludwig ran a hand through his slicked-back hair and sighed.

"I'm….not sure. We were running for our lives….and those two went in different directions. I think," he said, shaking his head at the memory. "I'm sorry, just give me a moment to pull myself together." He leaned back against the wall, hand reaching for a pocket that Kiku knew used to hold cigarettes-something that the Asian also knew that Ludwig would not find.

_He must be rather shaken to forget he quit months ago,_ noted Kiku.

"All right. I'll go search for the others. Please, try and get some rest," Kiku told Ludwig, gesturing to the bed on the opposite side of the room.

"Sorry," Ludwig said, giving up his search for a cigarette. Kiku simply stared, unused to the German apologizing for something. "Oh, by the way, I found this when I was running from….when I was running. Maybe it can be of some use to you, Japan." Ludwig reached in a pocket of his coat and drew out a key-an old skeleton key, made of tarnished silver-and pressed it into Kiku's hand. With that, the German man turned and went back through the fabric door and into the darkness, shocking Kiku and stopping the thanks he was about to say.

_Why go back there when he could rest here?_

But not to worry-now, at the very least, he knew where someone else was. He studied the key in his hand, wondering where the German had found it and what door it unlocked. Shrugging slightly, he put it in his pocket and turned to leave.

_I'll leave him alone now. I have to look for the other two._

He left the room and descended to the first floor, deciding to start the search for the lock the key fit there.

After trying several doors, he was back to the door near the kitchen. He had skipped over that door in favor of trying the doors near the bathroom first. As he slipped the key into the lock, he knew he had found the right door. It unlocked with a

_Click_

and swung in on its hinges. Holding his breath, Kiku took a few hesitant steps inside, letting his eyes adjust to the slightly darker environment.

_Something is there._

Something tall, something not right, something that wasn't supposed to be-

_No, it was just the shadows._

There was nothing there, nothing but a slighter darker shadow in a room of shadows that seemed to swirl and move. Kiku let out the breath he had been holding and cautiously advanced. Out of the gloom rose several bookshelves and he realized that he must be in a library.

The books ranged over all different subjects and periods and nations, he saw copies of old Greek stories and several new manga and poetry from America. He pulled several books from the shelves, noting that even the older books bore no wear and tear as he would have expected them too. He carefully replaced them back on the shelf, making sure not to disturb the books too much.

Kiku turned to survey the rest of the room and noticed a table hidden in the corner, tucked behind the bookshelves. He walked over it and ran a critical eye over the books scattered carelessly across it-pages were torn and dog-eared, passages were highlighted or in some cases blacked out completely. It looked like a madman had been trying to write a research paper on something.

And, sitting on a wooden plate, was a single rice ball. Kiku stared at it a few seconds before smiling and pocketing it, making sure to carefully wrap it in a handkerchief first. _It seems that we are dealing with a Japanese ghost_, he thought to himself. He continued to search through the books and paper on the table, wondering if there was some sort of clue or pattern to it,.

_Something is there._

Kiku jerked his head up, dropping the book. _Something was there._ And he wasn't imagining it, not this time-no, it was really there, grey skinned, long-necked coming towards him-_out, have to get out, have to-there! The door!_ He fumbled with the handle, hands shaking, eyes wide. _Locked! How can it be locked? The key-I have the key-where did it go? _The key-it wasn't there, wasn't in his pocket, it must of fallen-_it's right behind me, right-_

His katana! He turned, unsheathing the blade and cutting up at the thing. He hit, but only barely-_look at it's eyes, it's eyes, too big, not human-_and the thing snarled and attacked back-_claws, they hurt, attack before it attacks!-_and he slashed again, the blade easily cutting flesh-_it bleeds black, black like the shadows, what is this thing?_-and, quick, before the thing could hurt him again, he called upon years of practice and-_now, do it now!-_cut once more.

The thing retreated, leaving him shaking, his left arm cut, his military jacket ripped. _Key, have to find the key, before it comes back,_ he reminded himself, flicking black ichor off his blade. Wincing, he rolled his shoulder to move his wounded arm and then set off into the library, blade at the ready. The feeling that he was being watched only grew stronger as he quickly went over the room, looking for his key. _It's still here, just watching, waiting until it can attack again._ He found the key next to one of the bookshelves in the back corner. Relieved, he nearly ran back to the door. He fumbled the key into the lock and stepped out into the bright hallway, eyes watering in the sudden light. He quickly checked to make sure that the door behind him was locked, and then he slipped the key into his breast pocket.

"I have to find the others soon," he said, leaning against the wall. "Before they find that…thing." He slid down so that he was sitting against the wall and carefully began to look after the cut in his arm.


	2. Chapter 2

Kiku had reached the fourth floor.

He had wasted quite a bit of time bandaging himself and resting, even eating the onigiri to stop the headache that was forming. He hadn't eaten since breakfast and the walk up the mountains, as well as the blood loss, had left him weakened.

When he had finished treating his wounds, he had decided that he should go back into the library-perhaps, now that he was prepared, he could kill the…creature…that had attacked him. The darkness of the library worked against him, though, and after the blinding brightness of the hallway, he could barely see. He had ended up hitting his hip on the corner of the table, inciting pain and a small curse. It had also caused something to drop off the table with a metallic _cling!_ Kiku spent a few minutes searching, heart beating fast, before his hand closed around the thing. He retreated to the lighter hallway to examine it.

Made of bronze, the key was smaller and much newer looking than the key to the library. It had sent Kiku on a search for what it unlocked, leaving the library behind-the door carefully locked, of course. Just because he had not encountered that thing did not mean that it was not in there.

_What was that, anyways? It was not like anything I have ever seen before._

The new key did not fit any of the locks on the first floor, nor the second. Not even on the third floor. With a heavy heart, beginning to suspect the key of fitting nothing, he ascended to the fourth floor, where, miracle of miracles, he found the door that it fit.

It opened a door to a large room, at least, large by the fact that it took up nearly half of the fourth floor, which was smaller than the rest. Dark wood on the floor, white walls, a desk and chair, a bookshelf, drawers, and a table-the only things Kiku paid extra attention to was the fabric door in the corner and a bright red leather chair pushed up against the wall.

He made a systematic search of the room, checking the desk and the drawers and trying to open the fabric door. Nothing of importance showed up. Boredom replacing his apprehension, he wandered over to the bookshelf to see if there was anything interesting there. He noticed something sticking out from behind it-something white and rather soft looking. He moved the bookshelf to the side, revealing a large white creature, little more than a pillow with eyes and, Kiku noticed, a pair of glasses.

"Ah, a mochi," he muttered, taking the odd creature in stride. "Are you stuck?" The creature replied with several noises somewhere between a _meow_ and a _yip_. Kiku bent down to see where it was stuck.

"I can't get you out, not like this," he said, evaluating the situation. The mochi was caught in the wall behind the bookshelf; pushing it to the side as Kiku had done accomplished nothing. He would have to lift the bookshelf away and then pull the creature out from against the wall.

"Poor thing. I think Germany may be able to get him out, though," Kiku said, realizing that the German's superior physical strength would be much better suited to the job. "I wonder if he would come here for that. I may have to simply drag him out." _I should see if I can find Germany again, first._

He descended the stairs rapidly, going down to the second floor where he had last seen the German. The door to the smallest bedroom was still unlocked-_why did I think it would be locked?_-and he went inside, hoping that Ludwig had returned from wherever he had gone.

_What…?_

There had been a fabric door in the corner. Now an iron door stood there, impenetrable and dark. Kiku stared at it in horror and fascination.

_Is it just my imagination? Or had this door actually been here before?_

He was doubting his own memories now-if he didn't hurry, it was quite likely that he would go quite insane. The Asian nation frowned in annoyance before rapping his knuckles smartly against the door. _Germany went in there, after all._

"Germany? Do you have a minute?" he asked, trying to keep a level tone despite how crazy he felt.

"Is that you, Japan?" came the reply, and Kiku let out a sigh of relief. Ludwig was behind the door. "What is the problem?"

"Ah, well, there's this mysterious…creature…stuck underneath a bookshelf on the fourth floor," Kiku started, deciding not to call the mochi by name. He was unsure whether the German would know what a mochi was. "I feel sorry for it, so I was wondering if you could get it out…."

"I see." Ludwig sounded somewhat annoyed. "I will go and get it out. I have a favour to ask of you, though."

"If it is something that I am able to do, I will help you," Kiku stated, moving back a bit from the door.

"Well, while I was running, I dropped my whip. I would like a weapon, just in case something…happens while we are rescuing this creature. If it is not too much trouble, could you go and look for it?"

_The whip!_ Kiku looked down to where the weapon was tied to his belt-he had completely forgotten to return it the first time he had found the German, preoccupied as he was with calming the other nation down.

"I have your whip," Kiku said, a bit sheepishly. "I found it a while ago."

"Ah…"

"Here, I'll pass it too you," Kiku said, untying it from his belt. He looked at the door for a moment, wondering if Ludwig would open it, before realizing that there was a slit such as was used for mail in the middle of the door. He passed the whip through it. "I found it in the bedroom next door."

"Ah, thank you," came the soft reply. Kiku waved his hand in a _no matter_ gesture, only to remember that the other could not see him.

"Not at all, I only found it by chance," he said. "Now, can we go to the fourth floor-"

"Ah, Japan! I'm sorry, but…."

"Yes, Germany?

"I'm….I'm, actually, I'm hungry too. Do you have anything I could eat?" Kiku tilted his head, the tone of confusion and the deflecting statement unlike what he was used to hearing from Ludwig.

"To eat?" he murmured, thinking about it. "I'm sorry, but I didn't bring any food with me. And I don't think we can use the kitchen…" He tapped his fingers against his chin, annoyed that he had already eaten the rice ball.

"Please, can you find something for me to eat?" Ludwig asked, and Kiku sighed, beginning to get irritated with the man.

"Where would I find food in this house? That is an impossible task!"

"Please, Japan! I have no strength right now. Anything is fine; just find me something, please!" Kiku sighed.

"All right, I'll look again," he said. _I have to look for Italy and Prussia as well, anyways. _

"Thank you, Japan!" Ludwig said, sounding rather relieved. "Ah, have you possibly found my brother?" Kiku flinched slightly at the blunt question that would point out something he had failed at.

"No…" Kiku replied, eyes downcast. "But he should be fine." _Somehow. _

"I am sorry for all the trouble, Japan." Kiku heard a sound like cloth moving on cloth, he took a step closer to the door. "Ah, take this with you." Out of the slot in the door dropped a glass bottle that Kiku only barely managed to catch. On the label in large print was the word "BEER". Kiku sighed. _A drink? And beer, at that?_ However, he hid whatever disappointment or aggravation he felt.

"Thank you very much, Germany. I'll be going now, then."

"Alright."

Kiku turned to leave, putting the beer in his pocket, where it stayed awkwardly. He was almost out when-

_THUMP_

-he turned around at the noise, worried that maybe the thing had come.

_THUD. _

_There-behind Germany's door._ He walked back over the door and stood next to it, ears strained to catch any noise. It was only when the noise of a saw picked up that he relaxed, realizing that it was simply Ludwig building something. _Just what on earth is he doing in there?_ He wondered, walking away.

He descended to the first floor, sighing and figuring he'd simply look through all the rooms again. He paused at the bottom of the stairs, thinking of going to the kitchen, but the sink hadn't worked when he had gone there for water. Feeling crazy, he went to the bathroom and carefully examined the entire room from top to bottom.

"This toilet…it seems that I can buy something from it if I insert money," he murmured, looking at the switches and dials on the thing. He fished in his pockets for coins and came up with some money, which he fed into a slot after a few moments of searching. One of the buttons was labeled 'onigiri'. He decided that rice balls would have to do.

Somehow the toilet produced the rice ball-Kiku wasn't quite sure how, and he wasn't quite sure he wanted to know, either. All he knew was that one minute there was no rice ball, the next, there was. Kiku pocketed it and left the room, shaking his head and wondering what had just happened. This house was for a madman, apparently.

He left the bathroom, and, on a whim, tried the door at the end of the hall. It opened, much to his surprise, and he entered to find himself in a room darker than the library, so dark that even after letting his eyes get used to the darkness he couldn't see anything. _Where's the switch?_ He ran his hands along the wall, hoping to find it. Relieved to find it, he flicked the switch and turned to look at the room.

_Oh god it's there it's there what is it-_

It was attacking, before Kiku could draw his katana, before he could react in any way but to simply slap it, across the face. _Grey skin, smooth skin, oh what is this thing-_

"_**YoU….WOn't….Esc…aPe…"**_

_-was it talking or was that his own thoughts? It's mouth never moved-_he struck again, curling his hand into a fist, hitting the rubbery skin and hoping that it felt pain-

"_**YoU….WOn't….Esc…aPe…"**_

_Stop it stop it stop it get out of my mind-_it hurt, the voice hurt, it was like thorns across the back of his eyes, but now he had his katana in hand, he slashed, finally showing something like a true fight-_please let it run, let it run, get away from me-_

"_**YoU….WOn't….Esc…aPe…"**_

And this time it wasn't just his head that hurt, the wound on his arm hurt, his skin crawling-_stop it stop it get away stay away go-_and he shouted, a loud roar of pain and fear and anger, and the thing flinched, it wasn't expecting it, but it was only surprised for a moment, and in that moment of panic Kiku was hitting it again, forgetting the blade that was in his hand, eyes rolling and just wanting it to go, _go away-_to leave him alone-

"_**YoU….WOn't….Esc…aPe…"**_

It attacked! Claws ripped into him again, across the chest, breaking through fabric and skin easily_-what is this thing get it away I don't want it stay away-_hitting it again, human hands only doing so much damage-_get away get away get away! _

_CLICK._

The lights went out. Kiku took a step back, heart racing, eyes wide, head throbbing like he had had too much to drink. _It turned the light off? Is it going to-_

_CLICK._

The lights went on, and the room was empty. Whatever it was, it was gone now. Kiku looked around, breathing heavily, blood leaking from the new wounds he sported. Suddenly he remembered that he had not come to the house alone. _Italy. I'd better hurry._ Still, he took the time to rifle through the room, finding yet another key. He also cleaned up his wounds the best he could, ate one of the onigiri-they seemed to help him heal-and was on his way.

Returning to the second floor took a bit of time, he tried the new key in all the different locks. He decided to delay returning to Germany for a bit longer after deciding that finding Italy or even Prussia was more important. Kiku found the door the key unlocked on the second floor, down the hall from the stairs and on the opposite side from the room that Germany occupied.

Warily he entered the room, relieved to find the lights on. The room was paneled in the same wood and had the same white walls as in the other rooms on the floor, but it was there the similarities ended. Two beds, not one, stood in a different corner, and there was no desk or drawers of clothes. Instead, standing in between the beds and looking to Kiku like a war victim, was Prussia.

Gilbert's back was turned to Kiku, and although the Prussian did not seem to be shaking like his younger brother had been, Kiku was afraid that he might take off running if the smaller nation startled him. He quietly locked the door, hoping that would stop the albino from leaving if Kiku snuck up on him. Kiku walked across the room to Gilbert, making no effort to hide his presence, but it wasn't until he was standing right behind him that Gilbert noticed anyone else was in the room.

"Who's there?" the Prussian demanded, swinging his fist and turning around in one motion so that it was all Kiku could do to dodge the punch.

"C-calm down! It's me!" Kiku said, taking a few steps backwards in case Gilbert didn't trust what he saw.

"Oh, it's you, Japan?" Gilbert said, lowering his fist. "Sorry."

"Are you all right?" Kiku asked.

"There-there was a monster! I saw it!" Gilbert shouted. Kiku found it hard to believe that Gilbert had ever felt confident, much less cocky, about traipsing around the haunted house, not with the way fear colored his voice now.

"A stark-naked giant the color of a rotten scone!" Gilbert continued, and Kiku sighed-Gilbert was still himself, after all. Gilbert seemed to take the sigh as a sign of disbelief. "It's true! We all saw it. Me and West and Italy, too!"

"Yes, I know," Kiku replied, wishing he didn't know and feeling his wounds all too clearly.

"Before I knew it, I'd wound up here. Those two…I don't know where they went. Am I making any sense?" Gilbert asked.

"Yes, quite," Kiku replied, hoping he sounded reassuring. "I saw it, too."

"What the hell is that Thing?!" Gilbert asked. After a slight pause, he added, "Oh, and, what happened to the others?"

"Please, calm down. Would you like me to bring you something to drink?" Kiku asked. He didn't have the answer to either question, so he deflected, something he was used to doing in his country.

"What?" Gilbert asked. His tone suggested that Kiku was crazy for thinking of such a thing. "Oh…now that you mention it, I guess I am a little thirsty. Do you have some water or something?"

"No, but I can go and get you some. Would you like me to?"

"Yeah…no, wait. Never mind, I don't really need it. What happened to the other two?"

"Germany is on this floor," Kiku replied. "He claimed he was hungry. But I have not found Italy. Do you have any idea where he could be?"

"What? Italy is missing? Do you think he was attacked by that monster…." Gilbert asked, trailing off as he started to realize what the monster could have done to Feliciano.

"We cannot be a hundred percent sure…but he's very good at running away. I believe he managed to escape somehow," Kiku replied, false hope falling flat as the words left his lips.

"All right…then I'll look for him too," Gilbert declared, his red eyes flashing as he assigned himself the task. "But first, let's go to where West is. What is he doing, anyway?"

"He said he was too hungry to move. Prussia, do you have anything for him to eat?"

"Something to eat?" Gilbert frowned, thinking about it. "I did find some mushrooms when I was running away. Will that do?"

"That should do."

"All right! Then let's-"

"What's the matter?" Kiku asked, after Gilbert stopped speaking for a few moments.

"Don't you hear the sound of…something…getting closer?" Gilbert murmured, his red eyes straying from Kiku to the door. Kiku didn't turn although he listened intently, barely breathing. It did sound like something was coming-something heralded by wind and darkness. Kiku searched for the English word. _Susurrus. A susurrus of heart beats and wind and fear. _

"Hey…" Gilbert started, going even paler, if that was possible. "If that thing on your waist isn't just for show, pull it out of the scabbard. If you don't want to be eaten, that is."

"Agreed," Kiku replied, drawing his katana and turning to face the door.

_Click. _

_Click click. Click click. _

Kiku and Gilbert waited in silence as something tried to open the door. The fear in the room was almost palpable. For a moment the noise was almost overbearing, almost too loud for any being to listen too, and then it was gone, receding back away from the door.

"…is it gone?" Gilbert finally asked, several moments later.

"Probably," Kiku replied, relaxing a bit. _Locking the door was a good idea after all._ He didn't want to think about what may happen if he had left the door open.

"All right," Gilbert replied, before breaking into a cocky grin. "That was a little scary, but now we should join West. Let's find Italy and get out of here as soon as possible!" Kiku decided to ignore the tremor in the other man's voice.

"Agreed," was all the Asian nation said, sheathing his katana.

The two stepped out into the hallway, all nervous energy and raw nerves. The light of the hallway made them relax, though, and Kiku sighed and turned back to Gilbert _it's there it's there why is it here_ and whirled back around, surprised, _it's really there we have to fight it._

"I thought it was gone!" Gilbert wailed, looking as if he wanted to be running down the hallway-the hallway that the thing was blocking.

"Apparently not," Kiku murmured, drawing his katana.

"Do something!" Gilbert commanded Kiku. The fear in his voice made Kiku all the more scared. _If Gilbert is scared, it must be truly horrifying. _

Kiku struck, catching the thing on the arm-_it hurts why can I feel it hurting-_ and then Gilbert attacked, emboldened by the smaller man's actions. Gilbert's sword gave a glancing blow across the chest-_what is this thing leave go go away-_and the creature recoiled, making an inhuman noise.

"_**YoU….WOn't….Esc…aPe…"**_

_It was right there was no way they were escaping just give up let it take you nothing worth fighting for_ and Kiku struck again, not even sure if he hit, just to do something to get rid of those thoughts, and Gilbert was attacking, raw fear on his face, _go away get out leave us alone keep fighting no not fighting_ and Gilbert was hit, those claws ripping through fabric and flesh alike, _attack attack it hurts kill it_ and Kiku did, even as Gilbert faltered, this time seeing the black blood starting to drip down the thing's torso.

"_**YoU….WOn't….Esc…aPe…"**_

_No but I can kill you can hurt you _and Kiku cast a spell, drawing upon thousands of years of mythology and practice and magic to hurt it, the light burning the creature where it stood _it's not dead, not enough, too weak, hurt it, have to run, what is Gilbert doing_ and Gilbert was not attacking, did not seem to be doing anything.

"_**YoU….WOn't….Esc…aPe…"**_

But then Gilbert did attack, one last blow, and the thing was disappearing, black smoke in a sun filled hallway _is it dead or is it just leaving for now oh gods what if it comes back _but they were alive, panting and bloodied, but still alive and that thing was gone.

Kiku cleaned his blade, watching Gilbert do the same exact thing, the age-old ritual for the end of a battle. When he had caught his breath he led the Prussian to the other room, where Germany waited behind the iron door. The two nations were quiet, as if no words would matter in light of what was happening.

"This is the…fortress…where Germany is," Kiku said, gesturing to the iron door. Gilbert examined it carefully before speaking.

"It is pretty solid," he told Kiku, before raising his voice to shout through the door. "Hey, West! Japan told me you were hungry! Do you want some mushrooms?"

"Is that you, Prussia? Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine!" Gilbert replied with a relieved sigh that his younger brother was alive. "But I have bad news, too. Italy is still missing. Oh, and we have to help a…mochi?" he said, looking to Kiku to make sure that he had gotten the name of the creature right. The pair waited in silence for a few seconds, wondering if Ludwig would agree to come with them.

"All right," Ludwig finally said. "I'm done here, so we can go now." The iron door opened and out stepped Ludwig, looking annoyed and in control of the situation. He frowned at the obvious marks of a battle upon his companions but didn't comment. Gilbert smiled in a daredevil way and turned to Kiku.

"I don't really get what we're supposed to do, but let's go to the fourth floor!" he said. Kiku smiled slightly at the bravado, well aware that the Prussian's hands were shaking and his eyes betrayed his fear. Kiku turned to Ludwig, unaware that the two seemed to have elected him leader of the group. Ludwig sighed shakily and glanced around.

"Can we come back here once in a while?" Ludwig asked, in a perfectly level tone. Kiku frowned almost imperceptibly.

"I don't mind, but…do you actually like narrow spaces?" he asked Ludwig. The German smiled in a completely unamused fashion.

"Well, you could say I'm used to them. There's a lot of room, though," he informed Kiku.

"Oh." Kiku paused for a moment, searching for something to say, before deciding to simply lead the other two up to the fourth floor. As they walked Gilbert handed Ludwig the mushrooms, which Ludwig promptly ate.

They walked quickly up to the room, jumping at every creak and bump. The inability to tell when the thing was coming seemed even worse than when they had to fight it-besides, there was three of them now, and Kiku was rather convinced that Ludwig could fight the thing and win hands down.

When they arrived at the fourth floor room Kiku showed them the mochi, still caught behind the book shelf. The two Germanic nations investigated it in silence, making Kiku both annoyed and nervous.

"Well?" Kiku finally asked, wondering if they'd ever get anything done.

"It's stuck pretty well," Gilbert informed him. "Can you do it, West?" Ludwig didn't even bother replying, instead propping his shoulder against the shelf and shoving, letting out a groan of exertion. The bookshelf replied with its own wooden groan but did not move. Ludwig let it go, sighing.

"I'm sorry, I can't do It with my bare hands. Maybe if I had some kind of tool…" Ludwig shrugged, as if even then he couldn't promise a good outcome. Kiku sighed and tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"A tool.." he murmured, concentrating. He sighed again, realizing how much trouble it was going to be. "Well, it is a big house. I'll take a look around."

"I'd be really thankful if you could find something useful," Ludwig told him, and he sounded as if he would be.

"Oh. Well. I guess we'll have to split up again to look for it," Gilbert said. Kiku frowned at him, not sure if he was happy at the prospect or not. Even now he had trouble telling the emotions of Westerners, especially those like Gilbert who hid behind a mask. Ludwig let out an odd noise-something between a groan and a contained scream. Both Kiku and Gilbert snapped their attention to him, unsure of what he was doing.

"Awesome face," Gilbert commented, smirking. Kiku just frowned, concerned, but Ludwig was avoiding their looks. Kiku decided to let it go.

"Then I'll go ahead. I'll come back as soon as I find anything good." Kiku turned to go to the door.

"I think I'll go too," Gilbert volunteered, taking a few long steps to fall in besides Kiku. "Actually, I haven't looked around very much. Might as well do some exploration!"

"Thanks," Ludwig said, though Kiku could not tell if he was being serious or not. Gilbert shot his brother a patronizing grin, and then he and Kiku walked out the door. Glancing back, Kiku caught a glimpse of Ludwig sitting down on the floor, his head in his hands.


	3. Chapter 3

Kiku found his way into the room across the hall-the key Gilbert had given him unlocked it. He walked carefully through it, wondering at the furniture-two beds and a living room set, complete with a coffee table. Not quite what he would have thought would be in a room together, but it seemed normal for this place. Lying on the table was a scrap of paper that he absently put in his pocket as he noted something else-something built into the wall.

Moving closer, Kiku realized that it was a lever. He stood in front of it for several long moments as he tried to decide what he should do with the lever. Move it, leave it alone, what? He sighed and flicked the lever to the very top, deciding that he would hate himself later if he did not investigate everything.

The room turned red, a painful light filling the air and making Kiku shut his eyes in pain. A noise accompanied it, a breathing that was too heavy to be normal. And the sounds of a heart beat _is that mine or someone else's whose_ just beating, slowly, heavily, the air pulsing with the noise. And Kiku fell to the ground, gasping, his mind slipping away from him _what is that noise it is so funny ah the light_ and his breath came hard, the air barely making it past his lips _what was I doing? Finding someone? Who?_ And the red light was replaced by darkness, and the silence that comes with the loss of a beating heart.

Kiku blinked, looking around the room at Gilbert and Ludwig. _Wasn't I somewhere else?_ He shook his head and _tch_ed at himself, annoyed at the way his mind seemed suddenly slow.

"Thanks," Ludwig said, though Kiku could not tell if he was being serious or not. Gilbert shot his brother a patronizing grin, and then he and Kiku walked out the door. Glancing back, Kiku caught a glimpse of Ludwig sitting down on the floor, his head in his hands. Kiku sighed, trying to remember what had been said before he and Gilbert left, but everything was oddly hazy.

Kiku entered the door down the hall, ignoring Gilbert as a feeling of-of something falling over him. What was that feeling, the one you could only say in French? He sighed and looked around the room. It was oddly furnished, two beds and a complete living room set in the same room-he frowned and wondered if he had seen a house with such an odd decorating plan before. He walked past the table to look at something on the wall, idly grabbing the piece of paper that was there and tucking it in his pocket. There was a lever on the wall, and next to it-writing. He frowned and deciphered the language, a mixture of Italian and English that was confusing.

_Up is Heaven._

_In the Middle is Earth._

_Down is Hell._

Kiku sighed and looked at the lever. Perhaps the writing was about that? _Or it may be something completely different. Remember the choices, the possibilities. _He shook his head, looking over his shoulder as if he expected someone to be there. _Stop being silly,_ he berated himself, and he looked at the writing and then the lever. He rested his fingers against the handle, the cool metal soothing in the summer heat. Before his mind got the better of him he pressed the lever down to the bottom, hearing a click and a sudden grating noise from behind him.

He whirled around, heart starting to race and his fingers closing around the hilt of his katana. One of the beds behind him had moved, revealing a hole in the floor-a hole that looked as if it had been ripped there quite violently. Kiku cautiously approached it, trying to be quiet. He leaned over, craning his neck to see into the hole, ready to draw his blade-and fell in, the floor crumbling under his weight.

_What the-_his breath was forced out of his lungs as he landed on the ground, off balance and bruising his body. He quickly rolled to his feet and glanced around, heart pounding and feverish thoughts of the monster that inhabited the house.

There was a piano.

_A piano?_

White floors, white walls, and in the center of the large room, a white piano. Over to the far wall were several shelves, looking as if they were stocked with books. The complete lack of space to hide in the room made him relax and he sheathed his sword and went over to the shelves. There was nothing out the ordinary there, just the exact same books that were on all the other shelves in the house.

Kiku wandered over to the piano and toyed with the idea of playing it for a moment before deciding not to. He couldn't play the piano all that well anyways. Turning, he noticed a door. A few steps and a few seconds to jiggle the handle showed that it was unlocked.

Stepping through, the first thing he noticed was the color. The wooden floors and the stairs seemed incredibly dark after the white room, and the Asian man blinked his eyes for a few seconds. Shaking his head, he quietly shut the door behind him and started exploring.

The first door he came too, past a set of stairs leading downwards, was unlocked. The room inside was a library just as white as the room the piano had been in and just as uninhabited. Kiku poked around the first row of shelves for a few moments. Turning to go further into the room, he froze as a door opened, heart pounding. _Should I hide?_ No time for it, anyways, and no need, because the figure striding towards him was Feliciano.

Kiku let out a sigh of relief. "Italy!" He took his hand off of his katana as well, smiling a bit shakily.

"Japan!" Feliciano said joyously, "You're okay!" The Italian beamed at Kiku, coming to a stop in front of him and looking as if he wanted a hug.

"Yes, thank god. Somehow." Kiku took a small step backwards in case Feliciano decided he really wanted that hug. Feliciano seemed more interested in talking, though.

"Right after you left, a ghost suddenly appeared from the hallway and came after us." A shudder ran through the Italian and Kiku tensed, remembering the strange creature he had encountered.

"Germany was the first to scream. You…heard him, didn't you?"

Kiku frowned slightly, cocking his head. "No, not at all…" he replied, confused.

"I see." Feliciano paused as if choosing his words carefully. "Germany's scream surprised me, too, and I was too confused at the time and tried to run away and leave you behind. I'm sorry, Japan…the front door wouldn't open no matter what and we split up while running away." He looked as if he was on the verge of tears, either from stress and fright or sincerity in his apology.

"No need to apologize," Kiku told him. "Anyone would have done the same in a situation like that. Even me."

Feliciano sniffed slightly and smiled. Kiku relaxed and then sighed, remembering where they were.

"Still. What is going on in this house? The door outside and the windows cannot be opened. Our cellphones don't work, either."

"Yep. It looks like we're locked up," Feliciano said in a startlingly bright voice. "But! I'm glad I found you, Japan. You aren't hurt or anything? Hungry?"

"I'm fine. But…" Kiku paused to rearrange his thoughts. "You're surprisingly calm about this, Italy. You were even wandering around the house…" _with that thing here_.

"Well," the Italian started, grinning sheepishly, "when that ghost appeared all of a sudden, I wanted to cry and cling to Germany, but…well, both Germany and Prussia were falling apart, too. So, well, I figured _someone_ had to have a level head, and even I was amazed by how calm I felt!" He paused to grin and catch his breath, his words had been cascading out almost too fast for Kiku to catch them all. "And then," Feliciano continued, "I began to look around for everyone so we could get out of here as soon as possible!"

"That makes sense," Kiku told him, smiling slightly and nodding. "I was startled at first too, but after seeing everyone else so flustered, I felt oddly calm." _Except when that…thing…is around._

"So what happened to Germany and Prussia? Have you found them yet?" Feliciano inquired, sounding rather hopeful. Kiku smiled wider, glad to be able to give the Italian good news.

"Yes, I've found them. They're on the first floor. I'll explain the details on the way." Kiku glanced around, remembering that it probably wasn't a good idea to be conversing so loudly right there. "They were both very worried about you. You'd better go and let them see you as soon as possible."

"Ah, okay! Let's go together, then!" Feliciano grabbed Kiku's arm and turned the Asian man towards the door. "I found some stuff when I was exploring, so I'll leave it with you, all right? I also made pasta. You can have that too!"

Kiku accepted the food, putting it into his rapidly-filling pockets. _Where did he find three bottles of beer? Well, Germany will be happy._ They walked through the library to the door that Feliciano had entered through.

The door opened back up onto the hallway Kiku had passed through, and they went up the stairs. Kiku flinched slightly as the darkness at the top of the stairs surrounded them-it seemed that every set of stairs in this house had its own aura of darkness at the top and bottom. The stairs led to another hallway where they paused for a second.

There were no more stairs leading up, but there was a door. Shrugging and feeling reassured and slightly annoyed that Feliciano still had a firm hold on his arm, Kiku tested the handle.

The creature was there.

Kiku froze, panic welling up and thoughts scrambling. He tried to articulate his thoughts but all that came out was a harsh wheeze and a gasp; he couldn't even start to remember what language he had to be speaking in, much less what he was going to say.

"Japan! The Thing! It's the Thing!" wailed Feliciano, grabbing his arm and looking to be on the verge of tears. Kiku took a deep breath and tried to figure out what he should do. Ludwig and Gilbert were there, near the bookshelf, near the…Thing. Kiku fumbled for his weapon, wondering what the hell was going on. The creature was standing by the bookshelf but didn't seem to be doing anything but filling the air with the sound of a heart beating _or maybe that's mine it can't be Italy's_ and the feeling of despair and looking like it was going to attack.

"You came too soon!" Gilbert said, glancing over at them and grimacing. "Japan, take Italy with you and run!"

"Italy! You're all right!" Ludwig smiled in a strained manner at the two of them.

"G..Germany…your face looks weird…" Feliciano said, tightening his grip on Kiku's arm. Kiku winced as the Italian's hands came close to his wounds.

"Me and West will take care of this, just go! Quickly!" Gilbert admonished, turning his back to them.

Kiku still paused, uncertain what to do. Almost every part of him was screaming to run, listen to Gilbert and _get out of this room now_ but there was another part of him that couldn't leave his allies there.

"Japan!" Gilbert's voice cracked as he shouted, and Kiku realized how desperate he sounded. Feigning deafness, the Asian man took a few halting steps forward.

"I must be losing my hearing in my old age," Kiku said, his eyes trained on Gilbert's boots. _Don't look at the Thing it won't be real. _"I can't hear you at all."

"Japan? Italy!" Now Gilbert was truly panicking, Kiku could hear it in his voice.

"Oh, ah….I suddenly got deaf, too!" Feliciano proclaimed, keeping a tight grip as he advanced with Kiku.

"Italy, you—" Ludwig began, but he swung back around to keep his attention trained on the creature, which seemed to be watching the countries shout at each other. Kiku was reminded that little more than a single, desperate minute had passed since he and Feliciano had opened the door.

"Isn't this nostalgic?" Kiku said, forcing his voice to stay calm. He lay a hand on his weapon, loosening it in its sheath. "Once again, I draw my sword in the name of the Axis."

Behind him, Feliciano stood up straight and let go of his arm. "Now that you mention it," the smaller man said, "we've been at peace for so long, I'd completely forgotten about it." Kiku glanced back and saw that Feliciano was smiling, faintly, as if half-remembering something.

"Italy…Japan…" Ludwig didn't turn to look at them but Kiku could imagine the way the German's jaw was clenched.

"It is my duty to fight beside you," Kiku said. _And my honor._ "Let's go, Italy."

"Y-yeah!" Feliciano stammered, and the two rushed forward with a cry. The creature leapt to meet them, slamming Gilbert aside and completely ignoring Ludwig.

Feliciano did something _magic I think I hope let that have been him _and the creature recoiled, snarling. Kiku drew his blade and swiped, nearly overstepping and unbalancing in his attempt to injure but the thing was too fast, it wasn't where he had thought it would be it had turned to land a blow on Ludwig. Gilbert cried out and lunged as his brother was hit, his sword scored a mark down the creature's shoulders. Feliciano darted through the fray to pull Ludwig out of harm's way and Kiku sent his sword in to keep the monster busy _where is the cut I scored last time did it heal_ and he got a few nicks in, breath coming fast as he fought _or maybe this is a different one oh gods_ Gilbert fought beside him, the two keeping the attention on them. With room to move Ludwig managed to get out of the battle for a few crucial moments, freeing his whip. He was too slow, the creature screamed, a blast of air forcing Gilbert and Kiku back a few steps and knocking Feliciano to the ground.

**DIE**

_Is it in my head or not maybe I can stop it now_ Kiku lunged again and missed, but the creature had dodged towards Gilbert who managed to do what Kiku had not. The thing screamed again and they all took a step back, back from the pressure and the pain that emanated from the creature.

**DIE**

In those few moments as they caught their breath the creature lunged and scraped down Ludwig's chest, causing the man to cry out and stumble back. Feliciano stood and started chanting fast and low _please let that be a prayer _and both Kiku and Gilbert took a step forward, a step too close, and had to waste time getting away from each other. In that time Ludwig recovered and finally put his whip to use with a resounding _CRACK_ that made the others wince at the sound of it.

They opened their eyes to see that the creature had gone.

The four men stood still for a few moments, panting and bleeding and trying to understand what had just happened. One minute they were fighting for their lives and the next their foe was gone, taking its quiet despair and its beating heart with it.

"It disappeared…" Kiku panted, when he had his breathing somewhat under control. He flicked black blood off his blade and sheathed it, seeing Gilbert do the same.

"It really is a ghost…" Feliciano added, sounding relieved.

"Italy!" Ludwig cried, and he moved to stand next to Feliciano. Despite the fact that the front of his shirt was ripped and a bit of blood was visible, Ludwig seemed more relieved that his companions were safe than worried that he had been hurt.

"Are you hurt?" Kiku asked, though he knew the answer. The German would probably refuse any aid, though, and it didn't seem all that deep. They were slowly amassing wounds—Kiku's arm, now Ludwig's chest. _Who will be next?_

"The hell!" Gilbert exclaimed, scowling at them. "You totally ignored what I said!"

"I thought the two of us alone could do something about it," Ludwig added, sighing. "You really helped. Are you okay, too?" Kiku noted the passive-aggressive assertion that Ludwig was fine.

"Yep, I'm fine!" Feliciano said, and he did look fine. He definitely looked better than the rest of them did, with two of them wounded and all three of them covered in sweat. "I'm so relieved now. You two ran away really fast, so I'd been wondering what had happened to you.

"I am glad that everyone is all right. What are we going to do from here?" Kiku asked, looking around the room.

"The…Thing could show up here again, so we should move to a room that's as safe as possible," Gilbert said. Kiku looked at the white-haired man, not used to such pragmatic thoughts from the dead nation.

"Besides," Gilbert continued, "if the four of us stick together, it won't be as bad."

"Good idea, Prussia," Ludwig said, giving his brother a small, worried smile. "Let's look for a room now. And, no splitting up, yes?"

"Roger, Captain!" Feliciano shouted, giving Ludwig a two-finger salute. Kiku sighed and rubbed his temples.

"Let's go, then."

First, though Kiku went to the fabric door at the corner of the room. A quick search behind it revealed a closet-like space with a wooden box. Kiku pocketed the box and then hurried back to the others to look for a stronghold.

Out the door and two the left they marched, eyes darting and hands brushing against weapons much more than was necessary. On the left was the room with the lever. Kiku led them inside and then looked around, wondering if the room would work. The other three walked around the room, inspecting it.

On a whim Kiku walked over to the lever. He took a moment wondering if he should move it, and in what direction. He pushed it so that it was directly in the middle and it clicked. For a moment nothing happened, and he frowned at the lever.

Then Feliciano screamed.

Whirling around, Kiku started to draw his katana only to realize that there was no threat. Feliciano had been standing near the doorway and, from the looks of it, something had fallen from the ceiling. Kiku walked over to it, his hand still on the hilt of his blade, and then smiled.

It was a key.

"Looks like we have to find a door, then," Gilbert said.

Feliciano nodded, looking properly embarrassed. Kiku pocketed the key and they set off again, trying the key in different doors as they passed by. With each locked door they grew a bit more relaxed-after all, nothing can come out of a locked door.

Hopefully.

On the second floor, they found a door that worked, in the west wing of the house. Everyone held their breath as they entered, jaws and hands clenching in anticipatory fear. There was no creature inside the room.

Kiku relaxed and then laughed a bit. He hadn't been so worried about actually fighting in quite some time—everything nowadays was about politics or the environment. It was kind of refreshing, in an odd way, to be faced with a fear that could be hurt with his sword.

The room held a single long table, made out of glass and stainless steel. Six chairs of white leather were placed around it. A marble fireplace adorned one wall, two others held bookshelves. Kiku took a walk around the room and noticed that, once again, the books showed absolutely no sign of ever being read.

Gilbert sighed and shook his head, and Ludwig did too. Kiku followed the other three out of the room, locking the door behind them. He led them to another door on the second floor that was locked, deciding to test out a theory. That door also unlocked with the new key. Another bedroom was there, larger than the others he had seen but containing the same things. One bed, a couch, a coffee table, a TV, a bookshelf with unused books on it. Kiku was about to suggest they leave when he noticed something under the table.

Kiku picked it up and sighed. It was only a box of matches, which wasn't particularly helpful. Maybe they could just burn the house down and hope they took that creature with them. He pocketed it anyways; slightly proud of how much he was fitting in his pockets. Gilbert raised an eyebrow at him but he ignored the unspoken question and instead went to investigate the drawers. The other three didn't seem like they were going to leave the room anytime soon.

There was a first aid kit in the corner drawer. Kiku let out a gasp of relieved laughter and then turned to the others. "Look!" he exclaimed softly, drawing their attention. "Germany, come here, let me look at your chest."

It took a while, getting the other three all patched up—although Feliciano wasn't hurt, he just kept getting in the way—and then replacing his own dirty bandages on his arm. By the time they were all finished there wasn't anything but cotton swabs left in the kit. Kiku debated bringing it with them but then decided not to. He had enough in his pockets.

Feeling refreshed and slightly more prepared, they went back to checking doors.

For several hours nothing happened. They rarely exchanged words, the house's oppressive silence weighing down on them. Their footsteps and shallow breaths seemed too loud to their ears. Eventually, as the shadows started to grow, they ended up back in the room with the glass table—Kiku involuntarily thought of it as the Conference Room. _Isn't this nostalgic_, he thought, locking the door firmly behind them. The companions relaxed a bit, taking seats around the table and taking weapons off of their belts.

"We can't get too careless," Gilbert warned, placing his sword on the table. "But I think we're safe here, for now. We have the key, and the door is locked from the inside." He shot a worried glance at the marble fireplace, but kept any fears he may have to himself.

"It is only temporary, but it should do for one night," Kiku hastily added, trying to sound more optimistic than he felt. He had slept on many a wood floor in his time but he still wasn't looking forward to it.

To sleep in the bedrooms just seemed wrong, somehow.

Feliciano yawned widely and stretched, raising his arms and arching his back like a cat. "One night is good enough for me! I'm really tired from running around…"

"We ran a lot for one day," Ludwig agreed, stifling his own yawn. "It makes me feel like having some beer." He smiled at his brother, and Gilbert laughed.

"I'm a little cold, too," Feliciano added, waving his hands in the air like an ignored twelve-year-old. "I wonder if it's because of this house."

Kiku stared at the fireplace for several long moments before his mind connected the dots. "If I'm not mistaken, we found some matches. There's enough firewood there for one night, so we can warm up."

"Hmm," Ludwig intoned, scrubbing a hand through his hair. "I'll do it, then."

They all watched in silence as Ludwig expertly lit a fire. Once the flames started the entire room seemed to relax, the four men inside of it let out sighs and shifted, working kinks out of muscles and realizing just how tired they were.

"That's nice," Gilbert said, rolling his shoulders.

"Yes," agreed Kiku, letting himself smile now that they were safe and warm. "I feel much better now that we have some light. And now that I'm not alone anymore."

"Yeah! But it was really scary at first…even though Germany was the first to run away, it was me that ghost chased after!" Feliciano told them, his face and body portraying a melodramatic version of the fear he had felt.

"You're right! I remember thinking, 'No! Not my precious little Italy!' And then bother the monster and Italy had disappeared! And West had vanished, too," Gilbert said, tacking on that last thought as if in apology to his brother.

"I hate supernatural things," Ludwig confessed, ignoring his brother's antics. "Besides, it's not like I just ran and hid…never mind, now. As long as we're all okay, it doesn't matter."

Kiku leaned forward in his chair, closer to the others. "Exactly. Besides, rather than think about how we acted in the past, we should discuss what to do from now on."

"I searched the house for a way out," volunteered Feliciano, after a few moments. "But there really isn't any. Everything is locked…it's horrible!"

"I see. We can only conclude, then, that that…monster has really made us prisoners here." Ludwig was running his hand through his head again; something Kiku had only seen him do when stressed or nervous. And, apparently, afraid or tired. "Though, having no way out is really what bothers me."

"Indeed…I really wish I could go home." Kiku tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I've been waiting for several games that will be released soon…"

"Me too. I can't eat pizza or pasta like this!" Feliciano was curled up in his chair with his knees pressed to his chest and seemed to be on the verge of tears. He took his pasta seriously.

"Um, hey…you keep talking about a way out…" Gilbert tapped his fingers on the table, leaving smudges. "If all the exits are locked, why don't we just make one? Didn't you do that when you were prisoners of war? We can put that into practice now."

Kiku nodded thoughtfully at the albino's ideas. "That brings me memories, too. I miss those times, when I kept trying to commit seppuku." That hadn't been the best of times, but it was a memorable one.

"Germany worked hard to make a way out for us. But this time, I'll do all I can to help, too!" Feliciano jumped up, startling the others with his conviction.

"All right, all right," Ludwig said, waving a hand at Feliciano so he would sit back down. "The plan for tomorrow is to make a way out. We cannot forget about that."

The fire threw shadows around the rooms, making Kiku feel as if they were entering into an unbreakable pact. Escape or die. These men once again were determined to defeat all those who stood in their way, even if it was an alien that breathed fear and spoke in minds. Kiku smiled.

"Right." Kiku looked each of his friends in the eyes, secretly memorizing the way they looked in the firelight. There was an air of importance to this place. "Now, I don't know what time it is, but let's sleep here tonight."

"My watch broke when I wasn't looking, too1" Feliciano wailed. Everyone sighed at him.

"Wait, one of us should keep watch," Ludwig said, standing up. "It may be dangerous if we all go to sleep."

"You have a point. Shall we play _jan-ken_ to decide who will keep watch tonight?" asked Kiku, raising his hand to play.

"_Jan-ke_? What are the rules?" Feliciano asked, leaning towards Kiku.

"Well…it's very simple. You play by showing three types of hand signs…"

"Whatever, let's do it already!" interrupted Gilbert. "I'm really tired! I want to sleep!"

"Prussia, just wait a little," Ludwig warned, sending a dangerous glance Gilbert's way. The older man grumbled a bit but kept quiet.

"…and _guu _beats _choki_. You can throw _guu, choki_, or _paa_," finished Kiku, having pretty much ignored the two German brothers.

"Ah, it's a little like _la morra. _Okay, I got it! Let's play!" Feliciano finished with a flourish, standing up and presenting his hand to begin the game.

"Let's go, then," Kiku said, smiling at the enthusiastic Feliciano. "_Jan-ken…"_ He sung the little rhyme, tapping his hands together to keep time. When they threw, everyone but Gilbert had chosen _guu_. Gilbert had thrown _choki._

Ludwig clapped his brother on the shoulder. "Thank you for taking the watch."

"Ah, seriously, it's so fun being alone," Gilbert said, softly, as the other three made a makeshift bed out of coats. The huddled together for warmth, especially Feliciano and Ludwig. They fell asleep quickly, their whole bodies relaxing.

"But those three, they're really sound asleep," Gilbert mused, staring into the fire. He sighed. "If only I had a computer, then I could update my blog. All I can do now is take pictures of them sleeping."

Moments passed in silence as he alternated between watching the fire and watching the door. He ran his hand through his hair, unaware of how much he looked like Ludwig.

"It's just…their serious faces when we were playing _jan-ken_. They looked awesome," he muttered, as if continuing an inner dialogue out loud to see what it sounded like. "I couldn't resist them." He sighed and resolutely ignored the burning feeling in his eyes.

"I'm kind of cold," he said, after a few more moments. He frowned. "The fire is…strong enough, yes. What the hell? I just felt a chill…"

_Click. _Something turned the doorknob.

Gilbert sat up straight in his chair, his hand reaching for a sword that wasn't at his belt. He waited, barely daring to breath, for the sound to come again. "Look, this isn't funny," he told himself. "I'm…just hearing things. Right?"

_Click. Click click._

"There's no one here! No one!" he whisper-shouted, "Why aren't those three waking up, anyway? Can't they hear anything?" He finally stood up, grabbing his sword off the table but leaving it sheathed. His mind scrambled for ideas. "That's it! I'll use Japan's strategy and pretend I'm not here! If I turn off my aura, I won't be found!" He screwed his eyes shut and tried to take deep breaths.

_Click._

"…guess I can't do it. Right." He took a large, gulping breath and drew himself up. "I have no choice, then."

Gilbert walked over to the door, taking large, confident steps. He carried his sword, though, ready to draw it if he needed to. He paused to look at the three sleeping figures, a mess of limbs and fabric. "Forgive me…it's tough being alone." His words sounded like a lament.

He stood in front of the door, forcing himself to be calm. A few moments later he laughed, shakily. "Shit, no! I won't die yet!"

He opened the door.


	4. Chapter 3: Interlude

Rumor spoke of a deserted house, roughly three hours away from where the nations met. The nations had never given much thought to it; it was situated high up in the mountains, rumored to be haunted and abandoned, the original owners long forgotten.

Rumor said that you cannot easily find it, that mysterious mansion in your town. And that if you anger its former occupant, you will not get away lightly…especially when you are alone.

"It's really here!" Yao shouted, taking long steps to look up at the building. It was like some Western churches he had seen, white walls and golden roof and so many windows you couldn't tell if you were outside or in. He smiled and turned back to his companions, smug at being proven right. The mark of time on the house only made him happier. New haunted houses weren't interesting in the slightest.

"I thought it was just a rumor," Arthur admitted, sighing. "But it's really here." And it was beautiful, it a rather haunting way, with bars over the windows and peeling paint. The courtyard was made of dirt, as if plants could not bear to be near the house.

"This desolate feel gives it a rather nice touch, hmm?" asked Francis, locking eyes with Arthur and grinning slowly, like molasses in July. Arthur scowled at him.

"I don't think it's very interesting, though," someone said. Standing away from the others, arms wrapped around him, was Matthew. He expected no reply and received none.

"Did you hear a voice just now?" asked his brother. Matthew sighed.

"Oh, America, you jest," Ivan said, looking at Matthew and smiling slightly. "We didn't hear anything, did we?"

Matthew kept quiet.

"Still," Alfred continued, completely missing the tension. "It doesn't really look like a fun place."

All of the men examined the house in quiet contemplation, a feeling passing through them. This was like nothing they had seen before. And they had seen many things, in their time.

"Well, why don't we take a little look, and then go back? I think we can leave before nightfall," Ivan said, his voice neutral. His blue eyes were like ice, a fierce light burning in them.

"Yeah, I don't want to stay here for long, either!" Yao said, looking around. The thought of being here come darkness sent a flash of fear through him, and he could see the same feeling pass over the others.

It wasn't that they were scared, no, it was simply that they had better things to do than explore abandoned houses at night.

Yes, that was it.

"Fine, then, shall we go in?" Francis rapped on the door and it opened, swinging easily on silent hinges. The six of them stared at the looming doorway for a moment, and then entered.

"The rumors say that there are ghosts here, right?" Ivan asked, looking around. The inside was bigger than the outside, it seemed, and it was clean. "That's why nobody comes near the place…"

"No wonder. It's such an eerie place." Alfred looked around, wondering.

Although the outside was run down and failing, the inside was fine. The floors shone a pale golden color in the afternoon sun, and the walls were a crisp white. The house was large, too—a wing to the right and the left, as well as to the back, and stairs leading up flanking the entrance hallway.

Matthew glanced at his brother and sighed. "How unusual of you, America. Are you scared?" There was no mocking in his tone, just a quiet acceptance.

"No! But it's a little—where is everyone?" Alfred asked, wildly looking around. Everyone was gone, except for Ivan and Matthew, and the American didn't even have a memory of them leaving.

"They said they would leave the first floor to us," Ivan told him. "Then they went right up to the second floor."

"Hmmm….then we'll—"

_Something was here._

* * *

"It's cleaner than one would expect, isn't it?" Francis observed, running a hand along the banister. Not a single speck of dust dared showed itself to him.

"Y-yeah, but…can we go now?" Arthur asked, looking around. This place gave him the willies, he had to admit.

"What's the matter, England? Scared?" Francis asked, his tone unkind.

"Of course not, you idiot! That's not it. It's just…." He searched for the right words, frowning. "This place is sort of—"

"This is totally silly," Yao interrupted, sighing dramatically. "There are no ghosts here. You can go back." He turned and walked down the hallway, leaving Francis and Arthur to stare after him.

"Hey, are you going to look around on your own?" Francis called after him.

"I'll just peek in this room here," Yao assured the man. "It smells a little bad." The handle turned, thankfully. Yao would have been embarrassed if the room was locked.

"What? Isn't that, well, a bit risky? Wait!" Arthur called, moving to follow the Asian.

The three of them walked into the room together.

* * *

_Arthur's Notes:_

Thank you guys so much for all of your comments and favs! I'm sorry I haven't been the most consistent of uploaders, but I don't think that it's gonna get any better. I just wanted to take the time to thank everyone who bothers to read this, I've gotten much more feedback than I thought I would. Thank you!


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